# Her Majesty's Excise Duty



## Research-Colin-cl (May 17, 2007)

I really shouldn't complain because I knew that some day this would happen... but...

I ordered a bunch of cigars from Famous and they're not experienced with international orders. They labeled the package cigars. Anyone who has shipped cigars across borders knows that that is something you DO NOT DO. So Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs Officers contacted me and said that for my $112 worth of cigars I had to pay taxes of over $500 to get them into my mailbox. 

This is just another example of how crazy tobacco taxes are and how it really hurts markets like the UK or high tax states in the US. I sent the cigars back to the sender because c'mon, that's ridiculous. I know few people who will pay $600 to get three bundles. 

For anyone curious it was 
$30 import duty
$360 excise duty
$88 VAT (Value Added Tax)
$25 Clearance Fee

*For any retailers out there, it is easy to send cigars abroad. Just mark it a gift and you're free and clear.


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## tekeeladude-cl (Mar 13, 2007)

Wow! I can't believe they tried to charge $500 in taxes.


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## supergirl (Apr 17, 2007)

OMGoodness!
$500!


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## boomshay (Apr 30, 2007)

that's outrageous! will famous smoke disguise their packages a bit better if you request it? just wondering what company policy is for things like that


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## DirkT-cl (Mar 12, 2007)

Good ol' "taxes"

I guess they need to find a way to pay for the the old man with his monocle that reads each and every shipping label.

EDIT:
I think Monocle may have fallen out of our daily vernacular so I should add a visual aid!


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## Research-Colin-cl (May 17, 2007)

I'm not sure if they will. Most companies already know that you need to keep packages very plain and labeled gift but obviously not Famous. I told the phone sales person to mark it as a gift but somehow that got lost in the order.

I think you're right about the monacle. They are pricey so I'm sure that's where the duty money goes.


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## Labman (May 27, 2007)

$500...that's insane! I know what you mean about the taxes though. Damn stuff!


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## kass (May 16, 2007)

Holy crap! Thats is absolutely horrible. I didn't think it got much worse than Canadian taxes...but you've proved me wrong.


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## Dogwatch Dale-cl (Sep 7, 2005)

That is just insane Colin! I'm sure we can find a way to help out.....


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## alanf (Jan 12, 2007)

Yikes! (Runs in corner and hides from the tax man.)


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## elidog (Apr 14, 2007)

What would the possible repercussion be for a retailer that was caught marking a package falsley to avoid customs and taxes? Just curious.


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## Shelby07 (May 1, 2007)

I hope you refused them!


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## Steve D-cl (Apr 3, 2007)

Wow! Can you say "bend over and grab your ankles"?!

Time to hook up with someone on this side of the pond to buy your sticks and ship 'em over in a plain brown box as a 'birthday present'


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## mrgatorman (Mar 23, 2007)

Well she has a hefty appetite...i can see that...


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## cigarlvr-cl (Apr 13, 2006)

that's ridiculous!


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## countnikon (May 10, 2007)

HOLY CRAP!!! $500 for taxes on $150. That is really ridiculous.


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## Kaybee (Apr 29, 2007)

man I feel for you. HOpe you got your money back. If I got a call saying I owed $500 for a package that was waiting for me I think I would have done the same thing.

Good luck with your next order


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## cigarsarge-cl (Mar 31, 2007)

I wonder who is gonna wind up smoking your cigars.


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## Research-Colin-cl (May 17, 2007)

I hope they send them back to Famous so that I can ship them more indirectly. I'm not sure what the consequence would be for a retailer. I've never heard of one being found out. Most retailers say that the customer is responsible for all taxes and duties on their sales page. I guess that means that the customer has to pay. I'm not an expert on this though so I don't really know. Like I said, this is the first time that one of my cigar packages was opened and similarly it is the only time a package was sent to me which listed cigars on the packing sheet.


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## BlueyHK (May 18, 2007)

That's a tax rate of 333% ... UNBELIEVABLE! I can understand a commercial concern (business) not wanting to label it as a 'gift' as they would run into trouble if caught (via x-raying of the package which is done randomly) but they should at least ship in 'plain' packaging.


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## kass (May 16, 2007)

Research-Colin said:


> I hope they send them back to Famous so that I can ship them more indirectly. I'm not sure what the consequence would be for a retailer. I've never heard of one being found out. Most retailers say that the customer is responsible for all taxes and duties on their sales page. I guess that means that the customer has to pay. I'm not an expert on this though so I don't really know. Like I said, this is the first time that one of my cigar packages was opened and similarly it is the only time a package was sent to me which listed cigars on the packing sheet.


I've refused over-taxed packages before and they got sent back to the sender. Hopefully the same happens in your situation. I would talk to famous and let them know that your package should be returning to them. They should send it back out to you, hopefully more successfully this time. It usually takes a VERY long time when the PO sends back the package though.


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## leojvs (May 10, 2007)

Colin, tonight (being my tonight) if I get time, I will pm you a company I use, which on my last package wrote "Hand made art pencils" I had a good chuckle at that. Yeah, the second time I got stung here was from a Famous order. They nail me over $30 postage, then I get hit with a $300/kg tax. Bast....tax man


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## Labman (May 27, 2007)

leojvs said:


> Colin, tonight (being my tonight) if I get time, I will pm you a company I use, which on my last package wrote "Hand made art pencils" I had a good chuckle at that. Yeah, the second time I got stung here was from a Famous order. They nail me over $30 postage, then I get hit with a $300/kg tax. Bast....tax man


Could you PM me the company as well. Finding a reliable cigar company that will ship internationally would be a plus for me up here in Canada as well.


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## Architeuthis (Mar 31, 2007)

Heh... Squid has already volunteered to help with this situation if anybody needs the assistance... <G>


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## siepattu-cl (May 22, 2007)

I know very few companies that disguise their packages.
I have no idea what kind of penalty they can get for mis-declaration.
But obviously there is some kind of penalty otherwise they would ship them disguised, and sell a lot more cigars.


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## Gatormoye (May 23, 2007)

If the tax is that much, just buy cubans.


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## Research-Colin-cl (May 17, 2007)

When I first posted this, I thought that the UK had the worst tobacco prices in the world... looks like being supplied by the US might be less good an option as it once was. Is this whole world crazy? Do we all need to move to the Dominican Republic or Switzerland? 

This tax thing is getting out of hand. I have to say though, I was in Belgium last week doing some teaching and their smoking ban is only in restaurants. The old market in the center of Leuven is full of outdoor bars and is IDEAL for enjoying some good cigars with good people. Lesson: put Belgium on your list of good countries for cigar lovers.


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## Sydseegar (Jul 19, 2007)

leojvs said:


> Colin, tonight (being my tonight) if I get time, I will pm you a company I use, which on my last package wrote "Hand made art pencils" I had a good chuckle at that. Yeah, the second time I got stung here was from a Famous order. They nail me over $30 postage, then I get hit with a $300/kg tax. Bast....tax man


Leojvs - I would also appreciate a PM re the company you use - last time I used Famous I also got whacked with quite a bill from ACS - $300/kg tax and I seriously reckon they included the weight of the box in that too AND they held the cigars for a month to work it all out.


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## anvil (Jul 22, 2007)

Sydseegar said:


> Leojvs - I would also appreciate a PM re the company you use - last time I used Famous I also got whacked with quite a bill from ACS - $300/kg tax and I seriously reckon they included the weight of the box in that too AND they held the cigars for a month to work it all out.


I have been importing Cigars to Aussie and New Zealand for the last 7 years and I wondered about them including the packaging weight, so I contacted Customs and arranged to go in and weigh the contents of three separate packages from Famous smoke shop. The customs formula for the tobacco weight was pretty much spot on every time in my favor. So now I just pay the duty. It still works out cheaper than buying over here.


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## siepattu-cl (May 22, 2007)

Well, Finnish taxes on imported cigars is pretty steep.
About 5-6$ per cigar (cigars that weigh over 3g).

That adds a nice 150$ to that cheap box.


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